Mantadia Lodge Andasibe

I had chosen this over Vakona lodge as I wanted to end our trip with a bit of luxury in modern settings. Although there are many positive things but there are some negative points also which stop me giving it 5 star review. I'd give it 3.5 if that was possible. Positives : Nice sprawling resort with meticulously kept lawn and garden. Large room with great view over the valley. Restaurant also gives a feeling of spaciousness with minimalist decor Ikea style. Good shower pressure. Bed and pillows are decent. Very quiet. They have a room heater if needed. Tea and coffee and kettle in the room. My wife had a massage with a lady called Susu and the massage was really nice. Negatives : Service at the restaurant was a hit or miss. Some ladies were nice , some seemed completely indifferent. First morning breakfast my omelette never arrived with no apologies when pointed out. Next day there was a mix up about a simple order. I had calamari once which tasted fibrous like rubber. Chicken in coconut sauce was bland. My wife's veg options were also not that great and the options were limited. The starters and the deserts were much better. So much so that we skipped the main dishes ( we don't eat beef ). Cocktails were also nice. Beer was surprisingly expensive costing 18K for a small THB. Breakfast menu had no change in three days and comprised of some cold cuts and lackluster bread with cereals and crepe. The breakfast spread at an inexpensive hotel like Relais des plateaux was much better. Coffee was weak. The bed has a wide ledge which was impractical. The bathroom sink was weird shape and very shallow meaning the water splashed everywhere. Toilet narrow. They need to have a boot cleaning station outside the room like other posh rain forest lodges I have stayed in. There was a hose in the bathroom which I assumed was for cleaning boots but it was impractical. I did not understand the role of the chimney in the room and no one explained. We were given room 21 which is at the end of the resort and for first couple of days there was no wifi in the room. Later it was there but poor signal. The sitting porch at the back was not very private. They should plant some shrubs between cottages to give some privacy. The pool is unheated and not serviced. Overall, I didn't feel it was worth the money I had paid.

We stayed here for 3 nights as a base. Nice lodge. Food was just ok - however the Vietnamese noodles were excellent. The pool is cold but was needed after spending hours in the forest lemur spotting. Room comfortable. Showers powerful and hot. Beautiful location with great views. If you stay here do go to the local market on Saturday. It is only a few minutes' drive from the hotel and sells just about everything. There is also a post office nearby.

This is a nice hotel with a friendly reception staff. The rooms are modern, clean, and comfortable. The pool is beautiful, though was undergoing some maintenance while we were there, it was a quiet place to sit and relax. The restaurant was ok, but nothing special. The food was average and the service was not on par with other hotels in this price range in Madagascar.